Hope Ministries Expands Housing Program for Women in Central Iowa

Hope Ministries has helped address the needs of men, women and children experiencing homelessness, hunger, abuse and addiction in Central Iowa since 1915. The nonprofit plans to triple the number of women and mothers with children it can serve with a new Women and Children's Campus in Des Moines, further closing the housing gap and helping women to become self-sufficient.

The Opus Foundation® has awarded Hope Ministries a $75,000 grant to support the new campus and related community revitalization efforts.

“This incredibly generous grant represents Opus' commitment to our goal of better addressing the unmet needs of women and mothers with children experiencing homelessness in Central Iowa," said Kathy Coady, Director of Development & Community Relations for Hope Ministries. “As a privately funded nonprofit, we always need and appreciate financial gifts of all sizes. However, gifts at this funding level are rare, and this one in particular will help us move closer to meeting our funding needs for the new campus."

Housing Next to Meet the Immediate and Long-Term Needs

Hope Ministries offers opportunities for hope, recovery and restoration by providing immediate help through free meals at the Hope Café and daily drop-in support services, as well as safe shelter with compassionate longer-term life recovery programs that last one to two years.

“Equipping someone to move beyond homelessness in a successful and long-lasting way requires more than putting a roof over their heads," Coady said. “It means identifying and working through the underlying issues that brought them to a place of homelessness. We refer to this approach as 'housing next.'"

Through Christ-centered life recovery programs, men and women receive love, acceptance, guidance and accountability as they work toward goals in six key areas: education, job readiness, spiritual growth, health and wellness, addiction recovery and life skills.

“Feeding a hungry person, providing a safe bed to get them off the street, telling them they have value and purpose and providing tools and support to help them become sober, stable and employed – all of these are successes. We are able to facilitate successes like these every day because of the generosity of organizations like the Opus Foundation."

Plans for a New Campus

In 2020, Hope Ministries successfully rezoned and purchased a six-acre property that includes a former elementary school. The oldest portion of the building, constructed around 1910, was removed a year later, making way for the construction of a new wing and renovation of the balance of the existing building in 2022.

At present, Hope Ministries' women and children's campus can house 35 individuals – well below the current need in the community. When completed, the new women and children's campus on East Douglas Avenue will have 100 beds – 50 will be long-term beds (up to two years) and 50 will be short-term beds. The short-term beds will be available for same-day check-ins – a service the organization currently isn't able to offer these individuals. Hope Ministries plans to open the new campus in 2023.

In addition to housing, women will receive recovery programming including life skills, job readiness training, counseling and educational opportunities to help them become self-sufficient. Children will receive individualized help for behavioral, academic and social struggles as well as participate in twice weekly “Kids Nite" with mentoring, tutoring, counseling and recreational activities. When they leave the campus, all the women can participate in Hope Aftercare, a program that provides ongoing classes, counseling and alumni activities.

“We are truly grateful for this incredible gift and the Opus Foundation's partnership in this very important project," Coady said. “By investing in this new, expanded women and children's campus, the Opus Foundation will empower women and uplift our Central Iowa community for generations to come!"

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The Opus Foundation, the corporate foundation for Opus, is building community for a better tomorrow by supporting projects and programs that make our communities better places to live, work and raise families. The Foundation is committed to improving conditions that disproportionately affect historically underinvested individuals and communities by focusing on early childhood education, youth development, workforce development and community revitalization. Read more about the Foundation's work. The Opus Foundation is a separate entity from The Opus Group and is led by its own Board of Directors.